Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment in Our Nation’s ... · The Creating a Safe and...

Workshop Overview, Preparation Guide, and Trainer’s Outline

Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment in Our Nation’s Classrooms

MODULE

2

CREATINGASUPPORTIVECLASSROOM CLIMATE

The Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment in Our Nation’s Classrooms series is a product of the Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance (TA) Center, under funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Office of Safe and Healthy Students (OSHS). The contents of this product do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the U.S. Department of Education, nor do they imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education.The Safe and Supportive Schools TA Center is operated for the U.S. ED OSHS by American Institutes for Research (AIR) in collaboration with Child Trends; Search Institute; Vision Training Associates (VTA); and Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL).

The Center is thankful for the thoughtful review and feedback provided by the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers.

Module 2 Creating a Supportive Classroom Climate | 1

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

DescriptionCreating a Supportive Classroom Climate is designed to equip classroom teachers and other educators to build a supportive classroom climate in which bullying is less likely to occur.

Learning ObjectivesParticipants in the workshop will:

n Consider what a positive classroom climate looks like and how it can prevent bullying. n Examine the role of teacher-to-student and student-to-student relationships in

building a supportive classroom climate. n Explore strategies for preventing bullying in the classroom, including establishing

a culture of respect for differences among students. n Consider how a web of positive support among students and other adults across

the school community can help prevent bullying. n Identify and commit to use one new strategy for preventing bullying in their daily

work with students.

Time Required

AudienceThe workshop is designed to be conducted with classroom teachers as well as other educators and support personnel who work with students within the school environment. The workshop works best with 12–30 participants but can be conducted with larger groups as well. If conducted with larger groups, it may be necessary for you to adapt some activities to fit within a 2½-hour time frame.

Workshop SeriesThis workshop is the second in a series of two training designs intended to address bullying behavior within schools. Although the workshop can be conducted as a stand-alone training, it is strongly recommended that both workshops be conducted as a series. There are references in the trainer notes for this workshop to content from the previous session, and, if the first workshop was not presented, it will be necessary to integrate that content into this training.

2 1/2 hours

MODULE

2

2 | Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment in Our Nation’s Classrooms

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

Contents of the Trainer Package n Workshop Overview, Preparation Guide, and Trainer’s Outline n Workshop PowerPoint (Provided here as a reference only. Review entire content

of this module to see how titles support workshop content.)

Slide 1 Creating a Supportive Classroom Climate2 Introductions3 Workshop Objectives4 Bullying Behaviors Defined5 Core Elements of Bullying Behaviors6 A Supportive Classroom7 Supportive Classroom Settings8 Effects of a Positive Classroom Climate9 Willingness to Intervene10 A Relational Problem11 Who Was There for You?*12 The Little Things That Teachers Do13 Student Intervention14 Inclusion15 Sample Anti-Bullying Rules16 Respect17 Communication18 Classroom Discussions19 Intervention Skills20 Supportive Classroom Settings21 Engagement*22 Environment*23 Safety*24 Building a Web of Support25 Additional Support* 26 A Legacy*

Asterisk (*) indicates animated slides in which the trainer will be asked to click the same slide more than one time.


WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

n Workshop Handouts (Provided here as a reference only. Review entire content of this module to see how titles support workshop content.)

Handout 1 Workshop Agenda2 Facts About Bullying Behavior*3 Elements of Supportive Classroom Climate4 Inclusion, Respect, and Communication: Creating a Bully-

Free Classroom5 Moving From Standing By to Stepping Up6 Strategies for Creating a Supportive Classroom Climate*7 Reflection Sheet8 Evaluation Form

Asterisk (*) indicates handouts that should not be placed in participant packet but rather handed out separately. See the note in the Handouts section that follows.

n Trainer Resources (located at the end of this section of the guide)

Resources 1 Trainer Terminology*2 Strategy Summarization Worksheet

Copy this worksheet according to directions provided in the Before the Workshop: Special Preparations section of this Trainer’s Outline.

3 Strategy Slips for Preventing Bullying in the Classroom Prepare strategy slips for use during the workshop according to directions provided in the Before the Workshop: Special Preparations section of this Trainer’s Outline.

Asterisk (*) indicates trainer resource used in Module 1 that is also referenced in this module.

Icon Key

This icon will appear the first time a PowerPoint slide is used in an activity.

MODULE

2Handout

Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment in Our Nation’s ClassroomsUnderstanding and Intervening in Bullying Behavior

This icon will appear the first time a handout is used in an activity.


WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

Equipment, Materials, and Room Setup

Equipment and MaterialsThe following equipment and materials should be present in the training room:

n LCD projector (if you are planning to use your own laptop computer with the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation loaded onto it; otherwise, you will need to load the PowerPoint presentation onto a flash drive and add a computer to this list)

n Large screen n Multi-plug surge protector and an extension cord (if needed for the laptop and

data projector) n Lavaliere (wireless lapel-type) microphone (optional depending on the size and

acoustics of the training room) n Easel with a full pad of flip chart paper (self-adhesive type if possible) n Markers (fresh nontoxic, water-based markers in bold colors) n Masking or blue painters’ tape (needed if flip chart pad is not self-adhesive type) n Strategy slips prepared and clipped together for each of the three elements

of a supportive classroom climate to be used in Activity 6 (see the Before the Workshop: Special Preparations section of this Trainer’s Outline)

n Box or container for strategy slips (used in Activity 6)

Training Room SetupThe training room should include adequate space for participants. It should be large enough to allow participants to be comfortably seated and to move around and interact with one another.

Avoid auditorium style seating. If possible, have participants seated at tables so that no one’s back faces the front of the room. A rectangular table set at the front of the room can be used for trainer notes, materials, and handouts.

The training room should have controllable heating and cooling with clear access for you to set and adjust the room temperature.

The training room should have clear wall space for posting large sheets of flip chart paper before and during the workshop.


WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

HandoutsDuplicate a set of handouts for each participant using a high-quality copier or commercial copy service. You may wish to make copies on paper of varied colors to create a more interesting presentation and to assist participants in locating specific handouts during the training. Copy all multiple-page handouts back-to-front and then collate and staple. Have handouts on the trainer table ready for distribution during the workshop.

If you plan to use participant folders, assemble the handouts in the order in which they are listed in this guide. Be aware that some handouts should not be included in the folder because they need to be distributed as part of an activity. The use of these handouts is referenced in the trainer notes and marked by an asterisk (*) in the list of handouts. If you do not plan to assemble folders, individual stacks of each handout should be placed on the trainer table to be distributed during the workshop session.

Note: Throughout the workshop, when using handouts, make every effort not to read excessive amounts of the content. Reading a handout instead of summarizing the information suggests a lack of trainer preparation and can be off-putting to workshop participants.


WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

Before the Workshop: Special Preparations1. If you did not present Module 1, it is important that you read the trainer resource

Trainer Terminology before doing this workshop. It is very important that you model correct terminology in speaking about bullying from the very beginning of the training session.

2. For Activity 6, you will need to copy the Strategy Summarization Worksheet (see pages 8–10). The worksheet is divided into three sections (Engagement, Environment, and Safety), with one section per page. Copy the three-page worksheet on white paper back-to-front and collate and staple. Make one copy for every four participants you anticipate being in the training. Make a few extra copies in case additional participants attend or groups need a second worksheet during the activity.

3. For Activity 6, you will need to create slips of paper using the strategy slips for preventing bullying in the classroom resource (see pages 11–12). The strategies are listed under the three elements of a supportive classroom environment introduced in this workshop. Create the slips by copying and then cutting the worksheet horizontally between each strategy to create individual slips, each bearing one of the strategies. It is strongly recommended that you use a different color paper for each of the three elements. Clip each set of slips together or place each set in a separate envelope for use in the activity.

4. Secure a small box or basket, which will be used to hold the strategy slips in Activity 6. This is referred to in the trainer notes as the “strategy slip box.”

TrademarksMicrosoft PowerPoint is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.


WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

Trainer Resources

Trainer Terminology (also used in Module 1)In conducting this workshop series, it will be important that, as the trainer, you model the use of specific terminology in speaking about bullying. Because bullying is a behavior and not a permanent characteristic or a trait of a student, it is important to avoid using terms like bully for youth who do bullying behavior. At the same time, it is important to avoid using the term victim in talking about students who may be the targets of bullying behaviors. This distinction is important for the following reasons:

n By understanding bullying as a behavior, we can use behavior management techniques to alter undesirable behavior and replace it with positive prosocial behavior.

n Viewing a student as a victim can suggest that there is something inherent about that individual that makes her or him a natural target for bullying behaviors. Because bullying is often based on perceived difference causing a student to be the target of bullying, any student can at any point be bullied by another student.

n If we believe that bullying is a permanent characteristic of the bully, it creates a situation in which we become helpless to change or alter the behavior.

Throughout this training toolkit, the term “classroom climate” refers to the relationships, environment and safety of a classroom that result in students feeling comfortable, accepted, cared for, trusted, and secure.

Strategy Summarization WorksheetThis worksheet will be used in Activity 6. The worksheet is divided into three sections (Engagement, Environment, and Safety) and starts on the next page. The three sections should be copied and assembled based on the instructions in the Before the Workshop: Special Preparations section of this guide.


WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

Strategy Summarization Worksheet

EngagementStrategy drawn by your group: ______________________________________

1. Describe the strategy as you understand it in one or two sentences.

2. What would you see going on if this strategy were implemented in a school or classroom?

3. Where in your school do you see this strategy being used, and who are the individuals you see using it currently?

4. How might using this strategy in a classroom help prevent bullying behavior?


WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

EnvironmentStrategy drawn by your group: ______________________________________






WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

SafetyStrategy drawn by your group: ______________________________________






WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

Strategy Slips for Preventing Bullying in the ClassroomThe strategies listed in this resource are used in Activity 6. The terms are organized under the three elements of supportive classroom settings introduced in the activity. Prepare these strategy slips for use during the workshop according to directions provided in the Before the Workshop: Special Preparations section of this guide.

Engagement:

n Be a role model—Treat all students and colleagues respectfully.

n Be proactive—Teach the difference between respectful debate and intolerant dialogue and name calling.

n Be available—Check in with students regularly to see how they are doing. Let them know you are available to talk.

n Listen—Engage students in conversation about what is happening in their lives and actively listen.

n Be positive—Encourage and model positive thinking while also providing positive strategies for dealing with adversity.

n Have fun—Humor and having fun are great ways to have personal connections and help students feel like they are part of a positive climate and culture.

n Teach more inclusively—Integrate examples of people from different backgrounds into lessons, stories, and discussions. Use inclusive language, and avoid organizing in the classroom by gender or stereotypes.

Environment:

n Walk your talk—Weave positive behaviors into daily interactions with students and colleagues. Follow the rules yourself. Show students respect.

n Set a positive tone in your classroom—Manage student behavior well, demonstrating appropriate boundaries and expectations for positive relationships.


WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

n Examine your own beliefs—Become more aware of your own assumptions, biases, or stereotypes. Do you expect boys to act one way and girls another? Challenge these assumptions, and intervene when you hear others doing the same.

n Treat students fairly—Work directly with both students who are being bullied and students who are bullying others.

n Establish a culture of respect for differences—Make everyone feel they belong, and talk about differences in respectful and informative ways.

n Engage parents and youth—Work together to send a unified message against bullying.

n Create a safe environment—Have classroom meetings. Work with students to create and launch an awareness campaign in their classroom and school.

Safety:

n Intervene—Step in to help during problematic situations. Students prefer that teachers actively use their power as adults and professionals to identify concerns and offer solutions.

n Make a safe, bully-free culture the “norm”—Talk about bullying on a regular basis.

n Encourage students to do what they love—Special activities, interests, and hobbies can boost confidence, help young people make friends, and protect them from bullying behavior.

n Keep communication open—Make time for daily conversations about students’ lives and feelings, and ask a variety of questions. Talk about bullying with them. If concerns come up, be sure to respond.

n Stay on top of things—Read and learn about bullying. Create supportive ground rules for your classroom.

n Use positive terms—Tell students what to do, not just what not to do.

n Teach positive relationship skills—Encourage them to be successful!


TRAINER’S OUTLINE

Welcome and Introductions

Note: Prior to the arrival of workshop participants, display PowerPoint Slide 1: Creating a Supportive Classroom Climate, and leave it displayed until you start the training.

1. Welcome participants and introduce yourself, sharing your connection to the subject of the workshop. If you delivered Module 1 with the same group, welcome them back, and make note of participants who may be new.

Note: The first time you are asked to display a PowerPoint slide or distribute a handout, the number and title of the slide or handout will appear in bold type.

2. Divide participants into groups of four.

Note: One method of creating groups that will help ensure that participants have an opportunity to meet others they may not know or work with on a regular basis is an alphabetical lineup. Ask participants to line up side by side across one side of the room in alphabetical order by their first names with “A” at one end and “Z” at the other. When the line is formed, start at the “A” end of the line, and have participants call out their first names one by one to see if they were successful in lining up in alphabetical order. Starting on either end of the line, simply create groups by grouping the first four participants, and continue down the line until the groups are formed. If you get to the end and have less than three people left, add the remaining one or two participants to existing groups to create one or two groups of five members.

Note: When asking participants to move around to create groups, especially at the beginning of a workshop, it is important to let them know that at the end of the activity they will be returning to where they are currently sitting. When participants do not need any materials to do the activity, your instructions will allow them to leave their materials where they were sitting.

10 minutes

Activity

1


3. Display PowerPoint Slide 2: Introductions, and ask participants in the small groups to use the prompts on the slide to introduce themselves. Explain that groups will have five minutes for the introductions.

n Name n School(s) for which you work n What subject(s) do you teach, and how long have you been teaching? n When you close out your career as an educator, how would you like to be

remembered by your students?

Note: If you know that all the participants are from the same school, you can instruct the groups to ignore the second prompt (School[s] for which you work).

4. After time elapses or when all the groups are finished, ask participants to stay in their small groups and facilitate a brief conversation with the entire group focused on why we tend to use our names when we introduce ourselves to someone we do not know.

5. After a brief discussion, stress how something as simple as our name is an important part of our identity. Point out that there are often personal stories attached to why we were given the name we have.

6. Point out that without our names, we lose an important part of who we are, and suggest that it is also more difficult to have a real conversation or begin to form a relationship with someone without sharing that first layer of identity. State that later in this workshop, we will look at strategies for creating the kind of supportive classroom climate in which bullying is less likely to occur. State that just like using each other’s names, many of the strategies that will be reviewed involve simple actions that encourage positive relational connections within the classroom.

7. Ask participants to return to their regular seats.8. When participants are ready, acknowledge that bullying presents a significant

challenge for teachers. Point out that this workshop is designed to equip participants to successfully address and reduce bullying in the classroom while creating an environment that will enhance student learning.

Note: As the trainer, you should have reviewed the section in Trainer Resources: Trainer Terminology, which provides the rationale for using and not using certain terminology to describe bullying behavior. Throughout the workshop, it will be very important that you avoid using terms like “bully” or “victim of bullying” when discussing this subject area. Instead, use terms like “students who bully” and “students who are bullied.”


9. Distribute Handout 1: Workshop Agenda and display PowerPoint Slide 3: Workshop Objectives. Review the workshop objectives and agenda, stating that this workshop will focus on strategies for creating a supportive and caring classroom climate in which bullying is less likely to occur. Reference the PowerPoint slide, and state that in the workshop participants will:

n Consider what a supportive classroom climate looks like and how it can prevent bullying.

n Examine the role of teacher-to-student and student-to-student relationships in building a supportive classroom climate.

n Explore strategies for preventing bullying in the classroom, including establishing a culture of respect for differences among students.

n Consider how a web of positive support among students and other adults across the school community can help prevent bullying.

n Identify and commit to use one new strategy for preventing bullying in their daily work with students.

What Is Bullying?

1. Display PowerPoint Slide 4: Bullying Behaviors Defined, and remind participants of the definition of bullying behavior introduced in Module 1.

2. Ask participants if they remember the three core elements of bullying behavior that differentiates it from other forms of aggressive behavior that may occur among students.

3. After a brief conversation display PowerPoint Slide 5: Core Elements of Bullying Behaviors, and point out the three core elements. If participants were able to recall the three core elements, then simply use the slide to reinforce the points already discussed. (13)

Note: The numbers shown in parentheses refer to the source for material listed in the References section at the end of this guide.

4. State that this workshop builds on what was covered in Module 1 and will focus on creating a supportive classroom environment as a deterrent to bullying and promoting a climate in which students are free to learn.

Note: If there are participants in this training who were not at the first workshop, distribute Handout 2: Facts About Bullying Behavior to the entire group. Note that Handout 2 is a review of information shared in Module 1 that can provide grounding for new participants and a review sheet for those who were in the first workshop.

MODULE

2Handout


10 minutes

MODULE

2Handout


Activity

2


Elements of a Positive Classroom Climate

1. State that research affirms what teachers already know, which is that the classroom experience of students is powerful in shaping their response to school and to learning. While a safe and supportive schoolwide climate can help prevent bullying, research suggests that “safety starts in the classroom.” (13)

2. Divide participants into small groups of five to seven members each.3. When groups are ready, state that we will now take a few minutes to think about

a safe and supportive classroom and what such a classroom might look like. Display PowerPoint Slide 6: A Supportive Classroom, and briefly review the questions on the slide.

4. Tell participants that they will now have seven minutes to discuss within their small groups their responses to the questions on the slide. Ask them again to focus on what such a classroom actually looks like.

5. At the end of seven minutes, tell the groups that they now have an additional two minutes to decide on the two most important ideas that have emerged in their discussion regarding what a caring and supportive classroom looks like. Explain that in two minutes, you will ask each group to share its two ideas.

Note: If you have more than five small groups, you may wish to limit the sharing to a single idea from each group in order to conserve time.

6. When two minutes have expired, go around the room and ask each group to share its ideas. Prior to beginning the sharing process, point out that it is likely that there will be some repetition, which is fine. As groups share their ideas, record them on a flip chart sheet at the front of the room.

7. When all the groups have shared, explain that researchers have also attempted to articulate what a supportive classroom setting looks like.

8. Display PowerPoint Slide 7: Supportive Classroom Settings, and state that research has identified three areas that make up the central features of a supportive classroom setting for students: (10)

n Engagement: includes relationships, respect for diversity, and school participation

n Safety: includes emotional and physical safety and reduction of substance use n Environment: includes the physical, academic, and disciplinary environments

and wellness

Activity

3 20 minutes


9. Briefly review the small-group ideas you recorded on the flip chart sheet, and note where they might fall within the three categories on the PowerPoint slide.

10. State that at its core, a supportive classroom is a place in which students feel connected, safe, and involved.

11. Distribute Handout 3: Elements of Supportive Classroom Climate, and explain that it includes additional examples of the three elements on which they just focused and that more information on each of the elements can be found on the website noted at the end of the handout.

12. State that while this workshop is focusing on the importance of a supportive classroom climate in reducing bullying, research suggests that a supportive climate can also have an impact on the fundamental mission of a school community.

13. Display PowerPoint Slide 8: Effects of a Positive Classroom Climate, and point out that research has identified a number of ways that a positive classroom climate affects students. Review the slide, noting that students: (8)

n Do better academically. n Attend school more regularly. n Feel better about themselves. n Engage in fewer risky behaviors like drinking alcohol or using drugs. n Engage less in bullying and other problem behaviors.

14. Point out the two statements in bold type on the slide, and state that focusing on building a positive classroom climate as a central strategy in preventing bullying can also further the academic mission and priority of their school by enhancing the capacity of students for academic achievement and learning.

15. State that a positive school and classroom climate can also have a powerful impact on teachers and staff when it comes to dealing with bullying behaviors. Point out that a positive climate tends to build stronger feelings of connectedness to the school for both students and adults, which is important in reducing or even preventing bullying in schools and classrooms.

16. Display PowerPoint Slide 9: Willingness to Intervene, and state that when it comes to adults in the school, a positive school and classroom climate and a sense of relational connectedness are important predictors of staff members’ willingness to intervene in bullying situations. Review the points on the PowerPoint slide: (3)

n When teachers and staff feel valued, they are more likely to become involved and intervene in a bullying situation.

n When teachers and paraeducators report high levels of connectedness, they report greater comfort levels intervening in a bullying situation.

n Feelings of comfort in being willing to intervene are correlated to: n Knowing effective intervention strategies n A perception that others in the school are also likely to intervene

MODULE

2Handout



17. Point out that feelings of being valued and connected are feelings that are generated naturally in settings in which students, teachers, and staff are in a relationship with one another in ways that communicate trust, affirmation, and caring.

18. State that research places a spotlight on the role of relationships as a critical factor in addressing bullying behaviors. Display PowerPoint Slide 10: A Relational Problem, and review the statement on the slide: “Bullying is a relationship problem that requires a relationship solution.” (9)

19. Suggest that while there are numerous factors that influence bullying behavior, it is difficult to think about a positive classroom climate without considering relational connectedness.

20. State that positive relationships are a foundational element in creating a positive and supportive classroom climate. These relationships include teacher-to-student and student-to-student relationships. Tell participants that we will now take a few moments to consider the power of teacher-to-student relationships and then consider how teachers might encourage positive relationships in the classroom among their students.

The Power of Teacher-to-Student Relationships

1. Suggest that one way to understand the power of adult relationships in the lives of students is to consider the important role they may have played in our own lives.

2. Display animated PowerPoint Slide 11: Who Was There for You? Ask participants to each take a moment and think back to their own youth, and think about an adult who was there for them and was a positive and nurturing influence in their life. Suggest that this person might have been someone in their family, a caring neighbor, a teacher, or someone else in the community.

Note: Make sure to stress that they are to think of someone who had a positive influence on their life.

3. After a few quiet moments for thought, click the slide again to reveal the bottom half of the slide. Instruct participants to consider for a moment what it was about that person that caused him or her to have such a powerful positive influence on them to the point that they still remember that person today.

4. State that if anyone was unable to recall someone who had that kind of a positive influence on them, it is perfectly fine. Suggest that they focus their thoughts on what that kind of person would have been like if he or she had been present in their life growing up.

Activity

4 15 minutes


Note: Although most participants can think of someone, in some cases there may be a participant who either did not have such an adult in their life or is simply unable to remember someone at the moment. By introducing the option to focus in a more hypothetical fashion, you provide that person with a way to participate without drawing attention to himself or herself.

5. Provide two to three minutes for quiet reflection.6. At the end of two to three minutes, tell participants that they will now have

five to seven minutes to share with the others at their table the adult who came to mind and what it was about that person that caused him or her to be remembered as having a positive impact on their life. Caution participants that discussion time is limited and will not allow for extended conversation about each of the individuals considered.

Note: Make sure to keep groups informed regarding the time remaining to ensure that everyone has a chance to share about their person. Because these are people of importance to us, it is often the case that this discussion can become quite animated, and it may be difficult to close off the discussion period when the time has elapsed. If there are more than five people at a table, ask them to form groups of three for this conversation.

7. After the discussion time has elapsed, point out that it is likely that there were many types of individuals thought of and discussed. For some it may have been:

n A parent n Another family member (aunt, uncle, grandparent, etc.) n A neighbor n A teacher or other school staff person n A congregation member n A youth worker n Some other individual who touched their lives

8. State that while the individuals who were identified may have varied across the groups, it is likely that in discussing what it was about those individuals that allowed them to affect our lives so strongly, much of what was shared were simple actions and qualities that are themselves ingredients of a caring and supportive classroom climate. For example:

n They knew my name and were always pleased to see me. n They believed in me and expected the best from me. n They were consistent, and I always knew where I stood with them.


9. State that this brief discussion illustrates the powerful impact that individuals can have in shaping young people’s lives through simple actions. Point out that the power of simple actions is mirrored in research on students today.

10. Display PowerPoint Slide 12: The Little Things That Teachers Do. Review the slide, pointing out that a 2008 study asked students to describe the things that teachers do that help them in their lives. Note that many of the factors are not that different from those that shaped our lives as young people. Point out that even though participants probably just naturally do a lot of these things every day with students and may see them as small gestures, research shows that they mean a lot to young people and can help them in many positive and protective ways. (8)

n Be available. n Students point to teachers who are accessible to them, checking in on how

they are doing and caring not only about their academic performance but also about all aspects of their lives.

n Listen to me. n Positive teacher-student relationships were characterized by teachers

who actively listened to student concerns and worries, engaging them in dialogue about their lives.

n Be positive. n Teachers who encouraged and modeled positive thinking in their students

had students with higher levels of engagement and preparedness as well as higher levels of self-confidence that they could overcome barriers.

n Have fun. n Students felt more at ease around teachers who were in control of the

classroom but could keep students’ motivational level high by using humor. Along with being positive, humor can help build the kind of positive personal connections that play a part in building a supportive classroom climate.

n Be real. n Teachers who are comfortable being themselves around their students

promote the kind of prosocial bonding that is an important element in a supportive classroom climate. Sharing personal information that is appropriate can help students see that their teacher is a real person and values them enough to share a part of his or her life with them.

11. State that these social and relational qualities make a powerful difference in students’ lives (8) and contribute to positive teacher-to-student relationships that help build a supportive classroom climate. Stress that what teachers model in their relationships with students and other adults also helps build positive student-to-student relationships that can have a direct impact on reducing bullying behavior through encouraging students to feel safe and confident to stand up for each other.


Encouraging Positive Student-to-Student Relationships in the Classroom

Note: The challenge of this activity is that it deals with complex subject matter related to bullying behavior in a relatively short amount of time. For that reason, the handouts distributed during the activity are designed to introduce key ideas and suggest additional resources for workshop participants to access more information following the training.

1. Suggest that just like adults who are more likely to intervene if they feel connected to their school and peers, students are more likely to be willing to intervene in a bullying situation if there is a positive school and classroom climate that also helps them feel the same kind of connectedness to school and peers.

2. State that while teachers can’t force students to be friends with each other, it is possible for them to create the kind of supportive classroom environment that helps students learn age-appropriate friendship skills, discourages bullying behavior, and encourages students to stand up for each other in bullying situations.

3. Point out that a major factor in many bullying incidents is the presence of student bystanders, some of whom join in or encourage the bullying, others who simply watch, and many who—while they may be disturbed by the behavior—do nothing to stop it.

4. State that the research clearly indicates that when students move from being bystanders to a bullying incident to standing up and intervening, they can have a powerful impact on stopping the behavior and sending a message that bullying is not acceptable.

5. Display animated PowerPoint Slide 13: Student Intervention and go through each option on the slide, asking participants to indicate by a show of hands which answer they think is correct.

6. After everyone has had a chance to respond, click the slide again, and review that in the majority of episodes (57 percent), peer intervention stops bullying within 10 seconds regardless of what techniques or strategies are being used. (9)

7. State that in a moment, we will explore some general techniques or strategies that students can use to intervene in a bullying situation, but first we will consider elements of a supportive classroom climate that relate directly to encouraging students to be more willing to stand up for each other.

8. Remind participants that as we noted earlier, bullying involves power relationships based on real or perceived differences. Ask participants to share what they see as areas of real or perceived difference among their students that might generate bullying behaviors. As participants share, list their responses on a flip chart sheet.

Activity

520 minutes


Note: If not mentioned by participants, make sure you add the following: n Religion n Sexual orientation n Cultural and ethnic heritage n Race n Physical appearance n Gender n Abilities in school n Economic status

9. After a brief time for discussion, point to the list you generated, and state that given the fact that differences fuel bullying behaviors, it is not surprising that the research on bullying puts a spotlight on the importance of creating a school and classroom culture of respect for differences.

10. Distribute Handout 4: Inclusion, Respect, and Communication: Creating a Bully-Free Classroom, and state that the handout provides information on a number of strategies that focus on the social environment of the classroom, which has been identified as the number one “best practice” strategy for bullying prevention and intervention by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (8)

11. State that it is obvious from the way that the handout is organized that we will explore inclusion, respect, and communication as separate areas, but, as participants will soon see, they blend together in multiple ways and work as a whole in creating a positive social environment in which all three are present.

12. Tell participants that we will explore a few critical strategies under each of the three areas in the handout. Point out that the handout includes more ideas and resources than we are able to address in a single workshop and can serve as a helpful tool for accessing further information following the training.

13. Remind participants that the most important element in each area we will consider is the role that teachers play in modeling for their students ways to make everyone feel included in the classroom, ways to show respect for students and other adults, and their willingness to communicate about bullying in both formal and informal ways.

14. Display PowerPoint Slide 14: Inclusion, and state that one element in creating an inclusive environment is the existence of clear classroom expectations and norms regarding how students are to treat each other. Suggest that norms are most effective when they are developed with input from students as to how they wish be treated, are simple and understandable, are posted in the classroom, and are fairly enforced with both positive and negative consequences. Point out that the handout includes key points in developing anti-bullying rules or norms within a classroom or school.

MODULE

2Handout



15. Display PowerPoint Slide 15: Sample Anti-Bullying Rules, and review the slide, noting that it is an example of one set of rules used in an anti-bullying program. (8, 13)

16. Suggest that the rules participants develop or have already developed in their classroom may be similar to what is on the slide or may be somewhat different, but what is important is that there are clear norms that pertain to all students and that help build a safe and inclusive environment.

17. Display animated PowerPoint Slide 16: Respect, and state that just like forming friendships, we cannot make students respect each other, but participants can create the kind of social environment in which students learn about and are encouraged to get to know and respect each other.

18. Click the slide again, and state that respect is partly built by students being exposed to accurate information and experiencing positive representations of students who may be perceived to be different from them.

19. State that one example of the power of inclusiveness and information to build respect is recent research concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, a group that is often the target of bullying behavior. A 2012 study of school experiences of LGBT youth found that when students are taught positive representations of LGBT people, history, and events, LGBT students are half as likely to experience high levels of bullying behaviors. (6)

20. Suggest that talking about differences in a respectful and informative way, including examples of people from varied backgrounds and orientations without singling out individual students can be a powerful tool in building respect and reducing bullying behavior.

21. Acknowledge that this can be a challenging area for teachers, and tell participants that the handout contains information on organizations that can be of assistance as well as additional simple strategies, including ideas for anti-bullying lessons. (8)

22. Display PowerPoint Slide 17: Communication, and state that as noted earlier, the three areas we are discussing blend together, and communication, in particular, weaves its way through all three. Suggest that communication can take many forms, ranging from anti-bullying norms posted in the classroom to class lessons to a conversation with an individual student.

23. State that regardless of the format, what is essential is that communication occurs and differences are respectfully addressed. Point out that in the LGBT study cited earlier, researchers found that the vast majority of students (86.6 percent) are never taught anything about LGBT people, history, or events in their classes. (6)


24. Display PowerPoint Slide 18: Classroom Discussions, and point out that class discussions in which the entire class spends time talking about anti-bullying and other topics such as relationships and respect is one communication technique that can yield a number of positive results: (8)

n Raise awareness of ideas and strategies. n Teach and practice the difference between respectful debate and intolerant

dialogue around issues of difference. n Provide opportunities for students to express their discomfort about

witnessing bullying within the safety of a classroom discussion. n Help students realize that they are not alone in their wish for bullying

behaviors to stop. n Provide a great opportunity for students to brainstorm possible solutions to

common bullying situations. 25. Point out again that the handout contains references to additional resources and

ideas for communication strategies that can help build the kind of classroom culture that reduces bullying and encourages students to stand up for each other when bullying situations arise.

26. State that another critical outcome of using the strategies that we have discussed is that you become identified by students as a “safe adult” to report bullying to or to ask for help.

27. State that creating the kind of classroom culture we are talking about can be highly effective in encouraging students to intervene in a bullying situation, yet one of the main barriers that students commonly identify is the lack of concrete, tangible skills they can use to intervene. (8)

28. Distribute Handout 5: Moving From Standing By to Stepping Up, and state that the handout contains resources and ideas that go beyond what we will address in the next couple of minutes.

29. Display PowerPoint Slide 19: Intervention Skills, and suggest that the skills listed on the PowerPoint and reviewed in detail on the handout represent concrete ideas to help guide a student response to a bullying situation.

30. Review each skill on the PowerPoint, making the following points: (8, 13) n Refuse to participate in the bullying behaviors.

n Do not support the bullying by joining in, laughing at the student who is being bullied, or cheering on the student who is bullying.

n Avoid fighting back on behalf of the student being bullied by resorting to physical aggression or engaging in your own bullying behavior, which tends to only make matters worse.

n Tell the person who is bullying to stop. n The simple act of telling someone to stop can end the event and can

empower other students to stand up as well. n Remember that many times students want to help but simply do not know how.

MODULE

2Handout



n Tell a trusted adult what is happening. n Help students identify adults who can be trusted and know how to help. n Make sure that students are aware that you are a safe adult through your

actions and words. n Be a supportive friend or ally to the student who is being bullied.

n If you can do so safely, remove the student who is being bullied from the situation or get adult help to do so.

n Offer support to the student who was bullied by listening to his or her concerns while reassuring the student that it was not his or her fault.

n Go to a trusted adult with the person who was bullied and help him or her talk about what happened.

31. State that it is not only important to provide strategies like the ones above, but students also need opportunities to practice and master using them, especially through role play. Point out that the handout provides suggestions for additional resources in this area.

32. State that we have considered the important role of peer relationships in preventing bullying and looked at ways to create a classroom climate that can address bullying behavior by encouraging and equipping students to stand up for each other.

33. Tell participants that we are now going to take a detailed look at general strategies for building a caring and supportive classroom climate focused on the three elements of supportive classroom settings identified earlier in the workshop. Point out that although focused more broadly, many of the strategies also revolve around issues of inclusion, respect, and communication.

Strategies for Building a Supportive Classroom Climate

1. Display PowerPoint Slide 20: Supportive Classroom Settings, and remind participants of the three elements of supportive classroom settings that were introduced earlier. Review the slide, making the following points for each element: (10, 12)

n Engagement n School engagement is an essential part of a positive classroom

environment, including the events and opportunities that lead to students gaining skills and experiences that allow them to feel safe in the school and classroom environment. Point out that relationships are part of this element and foundational to all three elements.

Activity

6 45 minutes


n Environment n While it is an important piece of a supportive classroom culture, this

element refers to the extent to which the school promotes the safety and health of each student. Environment is inclusive of all aspects of a school, including academics, physical and mental health supports and services, the physical plant and its location within the community, and its disciplinary procedures. In the classroom, it can include teachers’ willingness to work directly with students who are bullying others or being bullied.

n Safety n A positive classroom and school climate is one in which students

and everyone connected to the school feel safe both physically and emotionally. Establishing a norm within the classroom that bullying is not okay can have a significant impact on the rates of bullying behavior. It is also critical that teachers send a clear message to their students that they are concerned about bullying and that students can come to them if they have issues or concerns. Research suggests that only one in three students who are bullied tells an adult. (5)

2. Tell participants that you are now going to explore simple strategies under each of the three elements that teachers can implement to reduce and prevent bullying behaviors within the classroom. Explain that while they will be working in small groups to think about and discuss specific strategies, at the end of the activity, they will receive a handout that provides information on all the strategies that will be introduced under each of the three elements.

3. Divide participants into groups of four to five members, making sure that there is an even number of groups. Ask groups to spread out around the room.

Note: For this activity to work, you will need an even number of groups. If the groups equal an odd number, ask participants from one group to each join a different group for this activity.

4. When groups have formed, distribute one Strategy Summarization Worksheet to each group (see pages 8–10 of the Trainer’s Outline). Explain that groups will be using these sheets three times—once for each of the three elements of a supportive classroom setting.

5. Display animated PowerPoint Slide 21: Engagement, and explain that we are going to start by looking at strategies that relate to the element of engagement.

6. Hold up the strategy slip box that you prepared prior to beginning the workshop, and explain that the box contains slips of paper, each bearing the name of a strategy that can help to create a supportive classroom climate through building a sense of engagement.


Note: You will be using the strategy slip box three times—once for each element. Copying the strategy slips using a different color paper for each of three elements as suggested in the Before the Workshop: Special Preparations section of this guide will make it easier to distinguish which ones to use at various points during this activity. Fold each strategy slip in half when you place the slips in the box so that participants are not able to identify which strategy they are drawing.

7. State that you are now going to move from group to group and ask someone from each group to draw one slip of paper from the box.

8. Move around the room, and, when every group has drawn a slip from the box, explain that each group will now have five minutes to discuss the strategy and fill in the information on their summarization worksheet for that strategy:

n Describe the strategy in one sentence. n What would you see going on if this strategy was being implemented in a

school or classroom? n Where in your school do you see this strategy being used, and who are the

individuals you see using it currently? n How might using this strategy in a classroom help to prevent bullying

behavior?9. When the time has elapsed, explain that each group will now have an opportunity

to share their work with another group and also hear from that group regarding the strategy on which they focused.

10. Instruct each group to pair up with another group.11. When groups are paired, explain that they will now have five minutes to share

and discuss the two strategies represented in their groups.12. At the end of five minutes, ask participants to stay in their current grouping as

you click a second time on PowerPoint Slide 21: Engagement. Briefly review the strategies listed on the slide, pointing out that some of the strategies are ones that were just discussed within the small groups.

Note: You may want to remind participants again that at the end of this activity, they will receive a handout listing all the strategies being discussed.

13. Ask participants if they have questions about any of the strategies or if they have additional strategies that they wish to share. Respond to any questions, and facilitate a brief discussion focused on any strategies shared by participants.

Note: It will be important that you have reviewed the strategies for all three elements so that you will know if a strategy suggested by a participant is one that will be addressed in one of the remaining areas.


14. Instruct the paired groups to form two new groups by evenly dividing themselves so that members from the two groups that were paired are mixed together as part of the two new groupings. Tell participants to make sure that each of the newly formed groups has one of the Strategy Summarization Worksheet sets that were just used. When new groups have formed, confirm that each group has a set of the Strategy Summarization Worksheet, and ask them to once again spread out around the room.

15. When groups are ready, display animated PowerPoint Slide 22: Environment, and explain that we are now going to look at strategies that relate to the element focused on the environment.

16. Hold up the strategy slip box and explain that the box now contains slips of paper, each bearing the name of a strategy to prevent bullying by creating a healthy school environment.

Note: During the previous group discussion period, you would remove any remaining engagement slips and insert the strategy slips focused on environment.

17. State that once again, you will move from group to group as someone from each group draws one slip of paper from the box.

18. When every group has drawn a slip from the box, explain again that each group will have five minutes to discuss the strategy and to fill in the information on their summarization worksheet for that strategy:




behavior?19. When the time has elapsed, explain that groups should once again pair up with

another group and that they will have five minutes to share and discuss the strategy on which each group focused.

20. At the end of five minutes, click a second time on PowerPoint Slide 22: Environment, and briefly review the strategies listed on the slide. Point out again that some of the strategies are ones that were just discussed within the small groups.


22. Instruct the paired groups to once again form two new groups by evenly


dividing themselves so that members from the two groups that were paired are mixed together as part of the two new groupings. Instruct participants to again make sure that each of the newly formed groups has a set of the Strategy Summarization Worksheet. When new groups have formed, confirm that each group has a set of the Strategy Summarization Worksheet and ask them to once again spread out around the room.

23. When groups are ready, display animated PowerPoint Slide 23: Safety, and explain that we are now going to look at strategies that relate to the last of the three elements of a supportive school and classroom setting—safety.

24. Hold up the strategy slip box, and explain that the box now contains slips of paper, each bearing the name of a strategy to prevent bullying by creating a safe and secure classroom setting.

25. Once again, move from group to group as someone from each group draws one slip of paper from the box.

26. When every group has drawn a slip from the box, explain again that each group will have five minutes to discuss the strategy and to fill in the information on their summarization worksheet for that strategy:




behavior?27. When the time has elapsed, explain that groups should once again pair up with

another group and that they will have five minutes to share and discuss the strategy on which each group focused.

28. At the end of five minutes, click a second time on PowerPoint Slide 23: Safety, and briefly review the strategies listed on the slide. Point out again that some of the strategies are ones that were just discussed within the small groups.


30. Instruct participants to return to their regular seats.31. Distribute Handout 6: Strategies for Creating a Supportive Classroom Climate,

and point out that it reviews the strategies that were discussed in the small groups and some additional ones all focused on reducing bullying by building a supportive school and classroom climate.

MODULE

2Handout



Building a Web of Support

1. State that many researchers agree that while teachers and other classroom professionals have a big role to play in bullying prevention, a multifaceted whole-school approach holds the greatest promise for addressing the problem of bullying. (3)

Note: Draw attention again to how this workshop series is or needs to be connected to a broader schoolwide approach.

2. Display PowerPoint Slide 24: Building a Web of Support, and ask participants to think back to the group work they just completed and how many of the strategies they considered can be implemented by anyone in the school regardless of their professional or volunteer role. Suggest that in some cases, in thinking of who in the school was consistently using a particular strategy, they may have thought of someone who was not involved directly in providing instruction—a teacher aide, security guard, counselor, food service worker, secretary, bus driver, etc.

3. Ask participants to briefly brainstorm roles that identify individuals in the school who could be part of a web of support. State that creating a web that can truly support students and minimize bullying behavior needs to be made of many strands if we are to prevent students from falling through the cracks.

4. After generating ideas as to who in the school has a role to play in creating a web of support, suggest that a group that we may not think of as being “in the school” but one that is very important in creating a supportive school climate is families. Point out that www.stopbullying.gov has links to information on engaging parents and families as partners in bullying prevention.

Note: If families were named during the brief brainstorm, then simply reinforce their role in helping address bullying behaviors and provide the www.stopbullying.gov website information.

5. Remind participants that as we saw earlier, students also have a powerful role to play as advocates for one another.

6. Remind participants again that everyone has a role to play in creating a web of support across the school.

Note: In making this point, make sure to strongly affirm and acknowledge the importance of a supportive classroom climate (something that teachers do have control over) while also pointing out the importance of a schoolwide web of support. Suggest that when others across a school community are involved, it makes the teacher’s job easier, and the classroom can become the hub of a larger schoolwide effort to address bullying.

Activity

7 10 minutes

http://www.stopbullying.gov/


7. Point again to the web of support, and note that while a comprehensive supportive web is the ultimate goal, the purpose of this workshop has been to provide an opportunity to explore ideas and strategies that can be applied primarily within the classroom. State that you hope the ideas that have been shared have affirmed what educators are already doing to create a caring and supportive classroom climate. Suggest also that you hope participants may have been exposed to some new ideas or strategies that they may want to implement in their daily work with students.

8. Display animated PowerPoint Slide 25: Additional Support, and state that the www.stopbullying.gov website can provide additional resources and support in addressing bullying behaviors whether at the schoolwide level or in the classroom. Click the slide again and point out that the search box allows participants to access specific information or resources based on their own needs and interests.

Affirming What We Already Do… Planning to Do Something New

1. Distribute Handout 7: Reflection Sheet. 2. Instruct participants to fill out the top half of the sheet, recording up to three

strategies that they already employ in helping build a caring and supportive classroom climate in which bullying is less likely to occur. Ask participants to also record three strategies that they see as particularly promising for preventing bullying behavior in the classroom.

Note: You may want to suggest that participants refer to Handout 6 if they need a reminder of the strategies discussed in the workshop.

3. When participants have completed the upper half of the worksheet, tell them to complete the bottom half by recording one strategy that they will commit to use with students in their classroom during the next week or the first week of the new school year.

4. When everyone has finished writing on their reflection sheet, tell participants to take their sheet and gather in the groups they were in during the introduction activity at the beginning of the workshop.

5. When participants are ready, ask them to share with one another one strategy that they already use that was affirmed in the workshop and the one strategy that they are committing to use with their students to create a supportive classroom climate as a way of preventing or reducing bullying behaviors.

6. After allowing three to four minutes for sharing in their groups, ask participants to return to their regular seats.

Activity

810 minutes

MODULE

2Handout



Review and Evaluation

1. If time remains, ask if anyone would like to share with the larger group a point of affirmation, an insight that was generated for them in the training, or the strategy they are committing to implement.

2. Encourage participants to follow through on their commitments to try one new strategy.

3. State that while the workshop has focused specifically on preventing bullying behavior in the classroom today, the strategies discussed can also have a far-reaching impact on their students.

4. Display animated PowerPoint Slide 26: A Legacy, noting the words of one educator: (14)

n “Children are living messages we send to a time we will not see.”5. Suggest that the steps participants take today to build a caring and supportive

classroom climate have the power to shape students’ lives in ways that will affect them beyond their days in the classroom and will form a living legacy to their role as educators.

6. Click the slide a second time, displaying the words “Thanks for Participating.” Thank participants for their time, ideas, and commitment to create a supportive and caring classroom climate as a way of minimizing and preventing bullying behavior.

7. Distribute Handout 8: Evaluation Form, and ask participants to complete it and hand it in as they depart.

Activity

9 10 minutes

MODULE

2Handout



References1. Anti-Defamation League. (2005). Ten things students wish teachers knew about

name-calling & bullying. New York: Author. Retrieved from http://www.adl.org/combatbullying/Ten%20Things%20Students%20Wish%20Teachers%20Knew%20about%20Name-calling%20and%20Bullying%20Web.pdf

2. Benson, P. (2006). All kids are our kids: What communities must do to raise caring and responsible children and adolescents (2nd ed.). Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute Press

3. Bradshaw, C., Waasdorp, T., O’Brennan, L., Gulemetova, M., & Henderson, R. (2011). Findings from the National Education Association’s nationwide study of bullying: Teachers’ and education support professionals’ perspectives. Washington, DC: National Education Association. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/assets/img/content/Findings_from_NEAs_Nationwide_Study_of_Bullying.pdf

4. Cloud, J. (2012, March 12). The myths of bullying. Time, 179(10), 40–43. 5. DeVoe, J., & Bauer, L. (2011). Student victimization in U.S. schools: Results from

the 2009 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCES 2012-314). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012314.pdf

6. Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN). (2012). Ready, set, respect! GLSEN’s elementary school toolkit. New York: Author. Retrieved from http://www.glsen.org/readysetrespect.html?

7. Hirschstein, M. K., Edstrom, L. V. S., Frey, K. S., Snell, J. L., & MacKenzie, E. P. (2007). Walking the talk in bullying prevention: Teacher implementation variables related to initial impact of the Steps to Respect program. School Psychology Review, 36(1), 3–21.

8. Meehan, C. (2011). The right to be safe: Putting an end to bullying behavior. Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute Press.

9. Morrison, B., & Marachi, R. (2011). School Climate Webinar Series: Bullying prevention—Understanding and responding to school bullying [Webinar]. Washington, DC: Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center. Retrieved from http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=9&eid=16

10. Osher, D., & Boccanfuso, C. (2011). Making the case for the importance of school climate and its measurement [Webinar]. Washington, DC: Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center. Retrieved from http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=9&eid=1358

11. Roberts, C. & Osher, D. (2011). School Climate Webinar Series: Establishing supportive relationships between teachers, staff, students, and families [Webinar]. Washington, DC: Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center. Retrieved from http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=9&eid=12

http://www.nea.org/assets/img/content/Findings_from_NEAs_Nationwide_Study_of_Bullying.pdf

http://www.nea.org/assets/img/content/Findings_from_NEAs_Nationwide_Study_of_Bullying.pdf

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012314.pdf

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012314.pdf

http://www.glsen.org/readysetrespect.html

http://www.glsen.org/readysetrespect.html

http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=9&eid=1358




12. U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center [Website]. Retrieved from http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=01

13. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Stopbullying.gov [Website]. Retrieved from http://www.stopbullying.gov/

14. Whitehead, J. (1983). The stealing of America. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=01

http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=01

Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment in Our Nation’s ... · The Creating a Safe and...

Documents

Transcript of Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment in Our Nation’s ... · The Creating a Safe and...